Distant Memories, part 2
by Highland-Spring
Summary: This is the second part of my first story. It was meant to be the concluding part, though time has not allowed this to be so. Still, I hope you enjoy what is found out so far and please continue to review as it is always appreciated. . .


Distant Memories, Part two.  
  
They made their way to the fencing that separated The Great Smials and Hawthorn Farm. The air was warm, the night young, but Pippin slowed his pace as they drew closer to the gate.  
  
"Just think Pippin. It could be triggered by anything-a smell, a feel, anything." Merry said softly.  
  
Pippin re-traced his steps back from partway up the field and back down to the gate. He did this three or four times, but stopped half way on one account.  
  
"Here--there was something that made me look round," he said.  
  
His voice trailed off toward the end of the sentence, but he had a set expression on his face of concentration. Merry stepped up next to him and nodded.  
  
"What? What made you turn?" He asked.  
  
Pippin stood there in silence for a long while and then turned to Merry quite suddenly.  
  
"Oh, its no use! I can't remember anything!" He wailed.  
  
Merry went to comfort Pippin again. He hated seeing his cousin so upset, but he had to push Pippin-hard-in order to find out what happened. As far as Merry knew, there had been a fire at Hawthorn Farm on the same night that Pippin had been found unconscious: strangely down by the gate. Merry had never even considered Pippin to cause the fire. The Took plainly did not have such a streak in him to be so disruptive, but Merry knew someone had caused it-and Pippin, it seemed was the only link to finding out who had done it.  
  
"Come on Pippin. Just try." Merry said.  
  
Pippin shook his head and gave a disheartened sigh.  
  
"No. I can't remember. It's like a void. A black mark on my mind. I want to remember, Merry-but part of me tells me to stop trying. Part of me just wants to give up because that part of me knows it's useless. I'm never going to be the same again, am I?" Pippin realised.  
  
Merry frowned. He stood silent for a while. No, Pippin would never be the same again, but how could he actually bring himself to say it? It hurt just thinking of it. He couldn't bare thinking of Pippin differently, a Pippin who would suddenly break down and forget things, and Pippin that was scared through thought of forgetting the ones he loved and held dear-and Pippin who--  
  
Merry stopped himself. Of course Pippin was going to have trouble, it was only three days after waking up after two long weeks. Merry shook his head.  
  
"No, Pippin, you will be normal-you are normal. You've been out for two weeks. You were hit on the head very badly-you've got the gash to prove it. Your Ma even suggested that you maybe even cracked your skull apiece. You've got to give yourself time to recover, Pip. You've got to get back on your feet before you can get back into the world."  
  
Merry's words were soothing. Pippin nodded and looked up to his cousin. Their eyes met and held distinctive trust of familiarity and years of friendship. Pippin knew he was safe. Pippin knew Merry wouldn't abandon him, save tomorrow where he would be celebrating. Merry knew Pippin felt that way just by his younger cousin's expression. He could read Pippin as good as he could read himself-if not better, and he knew that it would be a trying time for the Took. But he firmly promised himself that he would be there every step of the way. And, though a single look to each other, they both knew that.  
  
"Lets get you home, eh? I think we've worked enough tonight." Merry suggested.  
  
Pippin nodded and followed Merry up the hill and to his home. He caught up with him and they began walking quickly back home.  
  
***  
  
"Oh, you found him! You found him safe!" Eglantine cried, wrapping her arms around Pippin.  
  
Paladin smiled and thanked his nephew time and time over, until Merry stopped him. Paladin then arranged a cart to take Merry home, but promised they'd visit the next day and wished him well.  
  
Pippin had gone to bed not long after, but did not sleep. He lay awake, the covers hung loosely over his body and he laid perfectly straight, face-up. He was trying so hard to remember. He was thinking so much it hurt his head. He blinked a few times, let out a frustrated sigh and rolled over onto his side. He brought the covers up and under his chin and nestled himself down in the linen. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.  
  
He tried to shut off-tried to relax and settle, but something kept reoccurring in the back of his mind. Something made him think of the fire. The smell of smoke as and the crack and pop as flames licked Farmer Emery's hay barn. The smell of the fire burned into Pippin-it was like he was trapped in that barn, the heat upon his face was as apparent as the hissing and rustling of the flames. He heard a shout, remembered looking round. He saw someone, but couldn't make out who it was. He stared harder. He remembered hearing something to the left of him, also, turned to look but saw no one. As he turned back again, all he could see was a metal bucket flying towards his face. This time, it did not hit him. This time he ducked and he wanted to know who'd thrown it. He followed the running figure back across the fields and caught up with the figure shortly after. He stopped, stood opened-mouthed and realised who it was. "Pippin!" The figure said, anxiously. "Pippin, please!" the figure begged. Pippin saw the figure fading away, the words, smells, sounds sight began to dissolve and Pippin felt himself being roused by his mother.  
  
"Pippin!" She said softly.  
  
His eyes fluttered open and he looked up to her.  
  
"Time to get ready my darling. We've got to go to Buckland." She whispered.  
  
***  
  
They arrived in Buckland and Pippin had promised not to keep Merry from celebrating his Birthday. As they stepped inside Brandyhall, the smell of cider and other good things filled their lungs. Saradoc came down the hall smiling widely and shook hands with Paladin.  
  
"Well, hullo there, how's everyone, then?" He asked.  
  
Paladin and Eglantine smiled and said their dues. Saradoc then looked down to Pippin.  
  
"And how are you feeling now?" He asked softly.  
  
Pippin stared at him for a while and then nodded.  
  
"Not too bad." He replied.  
  
Sardoc smiled. He stood up straight and then escorted them all to the communal room. Merry was talking with Frodo and Bilbo who had already arrived and was having a rather good time. He then noticed Pippin and went straight over.  
  
"You alright, Pip? How's things now?" He asked.  
  
Pippin raised his hand and shook his head slightly.  
  
"Leave it for today-today is all about you, Merry. Let's just leave 'me' for a while." Pippin replied innocently.  
  
Merry smiled and nodded.  
  
"Right, well, drink? Food? There's plenty of everything to go around- twice!" He said happily.  
  
Pippin hung around with Merry for a bit, but them couldn't help feeling worried. His dream was still a vivid figment in his mind and he could not seem to shift it. He decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air. A while passed, before someone came outside and he turned, half-expecting it to be Merry.  
  
"Are you alright?" The voice asked.  
  
It was Frodo.  
  
"Yes, fine thanks. I just needed-" Pippin paused.  
  
Frodo sat beside him and smiled gently.  
  
"Just needed what?" He asked.  
  
Pippin stared a long time at Frodo, his eyes never leaving the traces of his cousin's fair features. Frodo frowned and was about to speak, but Pippin interrupted.  
  
"You did it!" he suddenly shouted.  
  
Frodo shook his head, nervous at what he was being accused off.  
  
"No, Pippin, what are you talking of?" He asked.  
  
Pippin stood up; he was shaking with a mixture of anger and fear. He knew it was Frodo, he'd seen it in his dream. Frodo's scent was the same smell- that familiar smell of apples and cinnamon-he'd smelt that and the smell now was the same.  
  
Merry had seen Frodo go outside and had then noticed that Pippin had gone also. Worried for his younger cousin, he went outside to find Pippin shouting and shaking and it worried Merry very much.  
  
"Pippin-what's the matter? What are you shouting about?" He asked.  
  
Pippin twisted away from Frodo's grasp and darted over to Merry.  
  
"It was Frodo! Merry-Frodo threw that bucket. I saw him-I smelt him. It is him. I know it is." Pippin's voice was high and shrill.  
  
Merry wrapped his arms around Pippin in a bid to calm him. How could it be Frodo? Why would Frodo have done such a thing-and to Pippin?  
  
"Pippin, I did not do it." Frodo stated.  
  
Pippin pulled away from Merry and nodded.  
  
"Yes you did! I know you did. You were with Farmer Emery that day-you were waiting for Sam. I saw you in the lower field earlier that day. You threw the bucket, and I want to know why." Pippin replied sharply.  
  
Merry finally gave into Pippin's accusation. The facts did all add up. He knew for a fact that Frodo had been in the fields and had helped Farmer Emery that day.  
  
"Frodo, was it you who set that fire in the barn?" Merry suddenly figured.  
  
Frodo looked first to Pippin and then to Merry. He stood there a few moments in silence before looking down to his feet and then back to Merry's expectant face.  
  
"Come on lads! Its cake time!" Saradoc called.  
  
His interruption led them all back inside, but not before Merry gave Frodo a warning:  
  
"You will tell me what you were doing, Frodo, and you will tell me tonight. I want to know what went on and why you threw that bucket at Pippin."  
  
Frodo had said nothing further, but felt his heart sink at the lack of faith between the two cousins' he loved best. He knew that he was in a lot of trouble, but he also knew that he could no longer run from it. The truth, he knew, would have to come out.  
  
***  
  
Well, I'll have to leave it there as I have run out of time and I wanted to make sure you were all informed on how the story was developing so far! Sorry it is not as long as I had hoped for, but the final part will be up as soon as I have finished it off, which (hopefully) will not be too long. I hope you're enjoying it and please continue to read and review, as any comments you post are always welcome and a help to me. Thanks again, and I promise the conclusion will be up A.S.A.P.  
  
~Highland-Spring. 


End file.
